Want a healthy Hawai‘i? Let's drive less. 🚗

Data is all the rage.

And there’s growing consensus that decision-making should be based on data.

But what data do we measure?

What are the metrics of success?

What even is VMT? 🚗

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita is calculated as the total annual miles of vehicle travel divided by the total population in a state or in an urbanized area.

In other words, VMT measures how much we drive.

And VMT is a significant predictor of health.

Communities that drive more are less healthy.

For example, a recent study in California found a strong correlation between VMT and obesity.

Duh.

You didn’t need scientists to tell you that.

But take a second and think about the time that people spend each day driving.

Throughout Hawai‘i, many people spend two or more hours in their cars.

(Think: Puna to the Kohala Coast on Hawai‘i island; Pukalani to Ka‘anapali on Maui; Wai‘anae to Waikiki on O‘ahu.)

These hours can’t be used for exercise.

Or spending quality time with family.

Or volunteering in the community.

Or getting civically engaged.

It’s wild to think that we can track the health of our people and communities with an odometer.

But it’s true.

And the solution is simple.

Imagine a world where VMT is 0.

It’s not rocket science:

Build housing close to jobs.

Allow a mix of residential and commercial uses.

Invest in public transportation and complete streets.

That’s it. That’s the message.